A Murder Too Close to Home
by DeathByShyKid
Summary: Set in between the Wave Arc and the Chunnin Exams. Team 7 has been called to yet another C-ranked mission yet this one is more personal for Naruto. His mask can no longer stay put. If he's going to protect his friends then he's going to have to let the walls he's surrounded himself crumbled away and let people in. He won't let any more of his precious people die. Not on his watch.
1. Chapter 1

"Come on, Sasuke, it's only one date!" Sakura whined outside of the Hokage's office. Her arms were close to her chest, pleading eyes leaving the boy across from her on the other benches unamused.

"How many times do I have to tell you 'no'?" The asshole snarled, looking away from the group.

Naruto gave an inaudible sigh, looking out the window. Sasuke and Sakura were always doing this; he absolutely hated it and in turn, possibly them. He just wanted to leave all of this: his worries, his sadness, his hatred, his mask, his apartment, his friends, his teachers, and, of course, his village. He wanted out but, he wasn't strong enough. _"Soon."_ His mind cooed to him.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura shouted, suddenly standing with an accusing finger pointing at their sensei.

Kakashi just sweat-dropped before waving half-heartedly, "Yo." Sakura and even Sasuke gave him a glare as the latter stood up from the benches. The Jonnin rolled his eyes, "Alright everyone, ready for another mission?"

"I hope it's not another D-ranked one," Naruto whined slightly, having to get back into character. He was already mentally preparing a scenario in his head of the conversation that's about to go down inside of the Hokage's office.

"Well, your hope is not in vain." Their sensei gave the three an eye-smile.

The blond haired teenager furrowed his eyebrows as excitement grew in his stomach, "Are you telling me that we have _another_ C-ranked mission?!" One thing that came naturally to him was excitement and happiness. He didn't have to fake that.

"Correct."

"Yes!" Naruto cheered, dancing around in a circle in the middle of the hallway on the tips of his toes. Okay, well, maybe that _was_ acted because he doesn't dance… at least not like _that_.

Kakashi gave a chuckle, seeing the slight eagerness in both of his other students. He walked up to the Third Hokage's office door and knocked twice. "Come in." Came the muffled response from the older man. The Copy-Cat Ninja walked in with his three students. The old man smiled warmly seeing the utter happiness from Naruto. He directed his eyes towards the Jonnin, "Ah, Kakashi, I was wondering when you and your students would be arriving." He chuckled. The Third Hokage looked at the gennin, "Of course, I could already hear them outside of the door." Sakura's face flushed with embarrassment, knowing that she had made most of the ruckus this time around.

"So, I hear you've got another mission for us." Kakashi shrugged, itching to pull out his dirty book of sex and mischief but refrained for the meantime.

"You heard correctly, Kakashi." The Third Hokage stated, pulling out a scroll and a folder before handing it to him, "There is a small string of murders in a northeastern town about two hours from here. If needed, you four are going to need to go undercover. If not, you will spy and report any weird behaviors. If the time calls for action, the owner has asked for you to take initiative. Inside the scroll are more details on the mission and the folder has the victims' bio. I hope that you all take this seriously."

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows, "Hokage-sama, don't you think this is a little advanced for gennin? This sounds like a B or A-ranked mission, not a C-ranked one."

"That would be true if it were ninjas who were murdered. The place you all will go to is a civilian run town. There are no ninjas in that area." He said, folding his arms over his chest, "I don't doubt that your students will be able to handle this. They did, after all, go against Zabuza Momochi and a Kekkei Genkai user."

The silver haired man nodded in understanding, turning back to his students, "Alright, in an hour, we'll meet up at the bridge for a briefing on the details of the mission. We'll leave shortly after that. Dismissed." Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura disappeared from the room to go collect their stuff for their mission.

* * *

Naruto hadn't spoken a word since they left on the mission. His eyes were clouded over as if he were in some trance or deep in thought. He was way ahead of the group, his fists balled tightly. They were shaking with some emotions that neither his sensei or teammates knew. Earlier, Sasuke had caught Naruto barring his teeth as if in some sort of angry stupor. It was actually quite scary. The three didn't like to admit it but, at this point, they were starting to worry about Naruto's mental state.

"What do we do about him?" Sakura whispered to the two beside her.

"I'm not sure, he seems pretty pissed," Sasuke stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

Their sensei had put his book away a while ago to keep an eye on his student, "There isn't much we _can_ do. He's obviously mad."

"Do you think it's because of the mission?" The only kunoichi asked, cocking her head to the side in curiosity and confusion.

Kakashi tapped his chin, "It's possible but so is virtually anything else."

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes, "I haven't seen him that livid since our academy days."

The Copy-Cat Ninja looked down at their, "Did either of you two say something?"

"I don't think I did," Sakura stated honestly.

"No," Sasuke replied.

Unbeknownst to them, Naruto could hear everything they were saying. It just made him more infuriated. He didn't know whether to be furious or completely upset. He wanted to shout. He wanted to cry. He wished that he could have been there to stop this.

The murders were precise and clean. The victim was knocked out with chloroform by the suspect and then taken to a different location. Police officers from the town didn't know where the suspect went from there because there wasn't any evidence left of the disappearance. They held the person for at least two or three days, taking their time in torturing them. Each was malnourished slightly since they were only held for less than a week. Bruising and discoloration of the skin lead police to think that they were tied up somehow. However, it gets worse. The forensic scientist that had performed the autopsy on all four victims stated that they were drained of the blood inside of their bodies. The suspect stopped just short of killing them, making sure that they were still conscious. This is still in debate between police officers and forensic scientists. However, one thing is for sure. The murderer chopped the body up all the while the victim was conscious.

" _How sickening."_ Naruto thought to himself.

Naruto did everything in his power to stop all of the threatening thoughts that clouded his mind but it kept traveling back to the list of names of the victims:

 _Andreas Hazeldine._

 _Cotton Paige._

 _Rudy O'Shea._

 _Sapphire Vogel._

Four victims. To an ordinary person, these were just some faceless men who had no connection to their own lives. To him? They were all of which were like his family; the family he never got to have. Those four were all he had; all he trusted. Two were clients of his boss, the other two were dancers… just like him.

He never even got to thank all of them for everything they've done for him.

The first victim was one of Naruto's boss' top clients. Andreas Hazeldine. Naruto was especially close to this older man. In the teenager's eyes, Andreas was like the father he never got to have. The thirty-some-year-old man had curly brown hair with dull green eyes and a small beard on his face. He was a little taller than Naruto but Andreas was full of muscle. He used to work on the docks when he was twelve to sustain his long since deceased family all those years ago. Though, Andreas was happy with his life. He'd show up every Saturday for a show, not Naruto's because that would have been weird for the both of them considering their father-son relationship. The two would sit by the bar and talk, Andreas having a shot every now and then and Naruto with a glass of lemonade since he wasn't old enough to drink. They'd talk until he had to perform again which would make Andreas leave. Naruto looked up and respected Andreas for everything he'd done for the teenager. He didn't mind calling the boy his son to the people around and Naruto didn't mind calling him his father. Naruto never even got to say that he loved him as his dad.

The first second and third victims were killed together. They had apparently decided to walk home together after work since they had lived a few minutes from each other. Rudy O'Shea and Erich Vogel were these two. Rudy had a man-bun of flaming red hair that had been dyed over a year ago; he absolutely hated his dirty blonde hair. He also had one of the prettiest blue eyes Naruto had ever seen. His dark, tanned skin complimented these features quite nicely. Rudy was also extremely thin and tall, almost 6'2. In contrary, Erich was only about 5'3 and slightly muscular. He has thick thighs and a booty like no other. He was pale with light colored freckles on his face. He rocked his short brown hair and equally brown eyes. Both men were dancers, having the late night shift. Rudy was the last dancer on stage before the building closed for the night. All the while, Erich waited for him. Naruto was pretty sure that the two had a thing going for each other. He was happy for them. Rudy was like his older brother. The two of them were inseparable. And Erich? He is – was… his first best friend. That's why it was so hard to hear that they were gone. The three of them were going to travel the countries and perform for people. It was a dream. Now, all of that's gone.

The most recent victim, only being murdered about six days ago was Cotton Paige. While his name may sound feminine to most, his closest friends and family knew him to be a wild spitfire. There was no other way to describe him. He used to be a boxing champion a few towns over before coming a staying in his current resident. Cotton was another major client Naruto's boss practically fawned over. He soon became a self-defense teacher in the very building Naruto worked in. He taught the dancers how to protect themselves should something arise for them to fight back. Cotton was Naruto's mentor. Even if he is – was… when is he going to get it through his head that they're gone – a mere civilian and had nothing on the ninjas of his village, Naruto had believed his teacher to be the strongest person in the world; both mentally and physically. It was a childish thought. Now, the man who taught him everything so far was gone.

He never even got the chance to say goodbye to any of them.

" _How could anyone do that to such great people?"_ Naruto questioned himself, the confusion and utter disbelief erasing his previous anger, _"Why… why would they take them away from me?"_

"He stopped shaking," Sasuke informed, referring to Naruto's previous anger. They'd been walking for about an hour. An hour of silence from the teenager.

"Maybe things have finally blown over." Kakashi shrugged his finger itching to grab the perverted book in his book.

Sakura looked down at the ground, "Should we talk to him?"

"No." Their teacher stated, shaking his head, "I doubt he'd share something like that with us."

"Why?" The two teenagers asked together.

Kakashi thought for a second. Why _was_ Naruto like that? "I think it's because of his isolation from the past." He said honestly.

"So… he doesn't trust us?" The kunoichi questioned.

"I'm not sure. Sometimes he acts like he adores us and the next he becomes distant." The silver-haired Jonnin specified, "Though, I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just overanalyzing the situation. He could just be mad that someone would kill another person."

"But in a workforce like a ninja one, that's kind of unavoidable," Sasuke stated.

"Yeah." Sakura agreed.

"You know; you guys can stop talking about me." Naruto growled out, the words shocking them, "I'm right _here_ you know and I can hear _everything_ you say!" He turned around, anger and darkness clear in his eyes. No one said anything. Sakura felt petrified by the hatred in his eyes. Sasuke was utterly shocked; he hadn't ever seen his teammate like this, not even in their academy days. Kakashi was confused and curious; he didn't know what to say. Naruto frowned, "Now that I've called you out, you can't even say it to my face!"

"What is wrong with you?" Sasuke meant it to be a friendly gesture to get him talking but it obviously didn't work.

"What's wrong with _me_?!" He started laughing, "You have no idea." Such a vague answer but Naruto didn't give them any time to respond because he had picked up the pace and was already continuing on their journey.

* * *

 **A/N - I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of my new fanfiction. This is going to be a really fun experience. I've never written a mystery before so I hope you all with be hyped for the next few chapters. This is probably only going to have about eight to ten chapters but that doesn't mean that they aren't going to be well-written (I hope!). Well, that's it for this author's note! Ta-ta~**


	2. Chapter 2

"Welcome to Roslyn Town!" Kakashi stated as they stood before the dragon-like arch which symbolized the entrance. He stole a look at his students. Sakura was in visible awe by the aesthetic of this slightly larger town. Sasuke was looking around in curiosity. Naruto, however, just looked scarier than before. It hadn't been that long ago since Naruto's outburst, the walk to Roslyn Town only being about two hours.

"Wow!" The pink haired girl enthused, "This place is so cool!"

"Isn't it? I've only been here about twice back when I was in the ANBU ranks and once again after I had become a Jonnin." Kakashi said, walking through the arch. Sasuke and Sakura quickly followed, their young minds absorbing everything they saw. Naruto stayed behind the group, this place all too familiar. Just like in the Hidden Leaf Village, he knew every nook, cranny, roads, alleyways, everything. There wasn't a single place here that he didn't recognize. Though, his teammates and sensei didn't need to know that. Not now, anyway.

"Look at all this stuff!" Sakura giggled cutely, gaining a few people's attention. The townspeople just chuckled at her enthusiasm. Kakashi was glad to see excitement and happiness with such a horror story floating over their heads.

"Alright, group, let's get something to eat and then find our rooms. Afterward, we'll go check in with the client." The Jonnin said, motioning for his students to follow him. Sakura followed eagerly, Sasuke right behind her, and Naruto glowering in the background. If Kakashi hadn't looked back almost every other second, he probably would have forgotten that Naruto was there. He was just so quiet, which was something completely absurd when it came to the loud kid. He'll need to report this sudden behavior to the Third Hokage. Something is definitely wrong and they needed to fix this because this behavior and anger could potentially hinder his abilities on the field.

* * *

After they had filled their bellies with something good to eat, they started heading towards the inn they'd be staying at. Everyone had their own rooms this time around which Team Seven was extremely grateful for. It was only when they had stepped into the inn that Naruto seemed to be had a neutral face, nothing betraying what actual emotions he was feeling at the time. The rest of the team left it along for the time being but, they still worried. It wasn't every day that a loudmouth suddenly turns quiet and angry.

Kakashi had said for everyone to set their stuff in their rooms and meet down in the lobby. They all agreed. Within fifteen minutes of sorting luggage and finding their room, the first one to be done – Sasuke – made his way down to the lobby. His heart was happy with all the sights and sounds he got to experience in this town but his head was all messed up over – of all things – Naruto. There was something _definitely_ wrong with that dobe and he couldn't figure out what. The next to come down from the back rooms was Kakashi. Sakura followed nearly a minute later. They stood – or in Sakura's state, sat – and waited for Naruto to appear. It was only ten minutes later when someone asked if they should check on him did said boy walked towards them. What he was wearing shocked everyone.

Naruto had on a flowing light blue tube top, with thin straps that created an X on his back. A black headband – not like the ones his teammates or his sensei was wearing on their bodies; one that was for your hair – pulled up his blond bangs, letting his blue eyes draw you in. You could clearly see a neon blue belly-button ring from his open stomach, revealing a peak of small abs. Black skinny jeans showed every curve and roundness in his legs that weren't revealed in that awful orange jumpsuit. Lastly were some regular converse that just made him look older and absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. He stared at them all with a bored glare, putting his hands on his now accentuate waist, "What?"

The team looked him up and down in utter shock. "Why are you wearing that… _outfit_?" Kakashi asked slowly.

"Sit down. You're going to want to hear this." He stated, moving his hands to where they were crossed over his chest. Kakashi and Sasuke took a seat beside Sakura who was starting to doubt on who she should be fangirling over, Sasuke or _Naruto_! Naruto gave a flirtatious grin, "Don't fall for me too much." Everyone's eyes widened as the blond haired teenager gave a beautiful laugh, one that nobody had ever heard before. It was like music to their ears. "I'm just messing." He gave one smile before all jokes were gone. A frown appeared on his face, his eyes hardening. "You all need civilian attire for the place we are going," Naruto stated harshly, looking at their very ninja-like outfits.

"Why, where are we going?" Sakura asked, pointing at her teacher, "He never told any of us who our client was."

"Oh, but I know who she is." Naruto said, "Her name Victoria Lolli but she likes to go by Kitty. Two of her dancers and two of her clients were murdered within the last two months. From what I'm assuming, Kitty wants us to investigate why these four were killed. Though, we can't properly investigate if we are in ninja attire. Roslyn Town does not trust ninjas _at all_. They practically loathe having them here and will not speak to any of us if we are dressed like a ninja. You have to be a civilian to talk to a civilian."

"How the hell do you know this?!" Sasuke growled out.

"Shut up." Naruto leveled his eyes, "I am doing this to protect you. When the lights go down in Roslyn Town, everyone else gets crazy. I know Kakashi-sensei can handle himself against some civilians who drank their ass off but you and Sakura. Oh, you will have such a hard time here. Stay close to either me or Kakashi-sensei and I think you'll be fine."

"Why would we have to stick to you? You're in the same boat as us!" Sakura accused.

"No, I'm not. I have… _friends_ here with connections. No one can _touch me_ here." He smirked, "I'm in my element here."

"Naruto, how do you know all of this?" Kakashi asked.

He sighed, letting his hands drop to their side, "I will answer any of your questions after all of this. Just… go get some civilian wear and meet me down here. I know my way around town and I know the people so I'll probably have to do most of the talking."

His sensei nodded, standing up and ruffling Naruto's hair, "Well, I guess that means that you are the team leader for this mission. That means that we _have_ to listen to you." Kakashi stared at Sakura and Sasuke, the two nodding in approval.

"Good," Naruto stated, sitting down on one of the lobby chairs. He crossed his legs and cocked his head ever so slightly which sent the receptionist into a nosebleed fit. She eventually passed out from fangirling too much. This left Naruto to think. He knew that those three would be shunned if they didn't go by the rules that Cotton had taught him several years ago about this town and what it did to people. Civilians good. Ninjas bad. Though, now that they know that he has more information about this place and possibly that this place is personal for him, they are going to want to know why. As of right now, he was regretting ever telling them that. It's not that he didn't want them to know about his secondary life, it's just that he didn't want them to be appalled by who he really is and what he does in this town. He didn't want to be shunned and hated by the few people he cared – for the majority of the time – about in this world.

"Is this okay?" Naruto looked up, seeing Sasuke in front of him. He hadn't even realized that they were already starting to get done. Sasuke was in some gray, baggy jeans with black flats. By the looks of it, his hair looked combed, showing off its glossiness. He had on a dark green T-shirt that said 'Kick-Ass' on the front. It seemed a little silly looking in Naruto's eyes but, Sasuke looked like a civilian.

"Good job." The blond said, leaning back on the couch.

After a few seconds of silence, Sasuke looked to him, "Hey, dobe. Why _that_ outfit?"

Naruto scoffed, "You'll figure out why."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

"Um… guys, how do I look?" Sakura spoke, a small blush running rampant on her skin. Naruto looked her up and down. She had braided her hair, letting it flow over her shoulder with a flower pinned on the other side of the braid. A red, pink, and white sundress on with dark red flip flops.

"Perfect." Naruto nodded in acceptance.

"Is this okay?" Kakashi asked, appearing behind Sakura. He had on dark blue jeans with patches on them that looked faded. His regular mask was replaced with a black one. A white, long sleeved shirt accompanied his outfit along with a black leather jacket. Equally black shoes complimented the outfit.

Naruto gave him a thumbs up, "Fantastic. Now, hurry up. It's going to be dark soon and we don't want to enter _that_ building when it's just starting to get dark. The craziest and wildest people are out at that time." Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura followed him out of the inn just in time to see the receptionist finally waking up. They waved down one street, turned down four alleyways, had to pass a dumpster, help a woman find her kid who just happened to be trailing them curiously, and pet one cat before reaching the building.

"Naruto… a-are you sure this is where our c-client is?" Sakura whispered, latching onto Sasuke's arm in worry. He didn't push her away for the simple fact that he didn't notice here. The three behind Naruto all stared in shock.

"Yes, welcome to The Strip House. This… is where I work." He said quietly.

"Work?!" Kakashi stared wide-eyed.

"Yes! Okay, it's not _that_ uncommon. Save the questions for later. Hurry up, I bet Kitty's been worried about me." He didn't mean to blurt the last part out but his teammates and sensei _definitely_ caught that part.

They walked up to the club doors, a tall and buff bouncer standing in front of the building. "Hey, you four, you aren't allowed in-" He stopped mid-sentence, taking off his shades to stare at who was before him. The muscular man started to give a hearty laugh, "Naruto, my man! How have you been, dude?!" He held a fist out and for a second, Sakura thought the bouncer was going to hit Naruto.

The blond haired teenager bumped fists with the man which turned out to be a handshake of some sorts. When they ended, they high-five each other and laughed. "Lucifer, I've got to tell you. I've been doing alright but I just got news of what happened." Naruto said.

"Yeah man, it hit Ms. Kitty _really_ hard. Apparently, she and Andreas were in the back rooms doing _you know what_. She just hired some ninjas from the Leaf to help out. Wait…" His voice trailed off as he gave a large smile, "No way! You're _those_ ninjas!"

Naruto shrugged, "What can I say."

Lucifer laughed, "Well, I won't keep you waiting. Ms. Kitty is in by the dance floor. Maybe if you ask nicely, she'll let you do a dance."

"Dance?" Sasuke whispered to Sakura in confusion. She shrugged.

"Thanks, Lucifer. Tell Sue that I hope she feels better!" He exclaimed happily as the bouncer let the four into the club.

"Who's Sue?" Kakashi asked.

"Oh, that's Lucifer's cat. She broke her leg." Naruto said so nonchalantly.

"Holy shit!" Sasuke and Sakura exclaimed at the same time, trying to cover their faces. There were two platforms, each having two – practically – naked men on the poles.

"You pole dance?!" Kakashi nearly shouted at his student.

Naruto sighed, "Okay, I need all of you to shut up, _please_! I cannot do this if you keep questioning. I have told you a few times already that I will answer questions later." They walked for about a minute through the overly crowded club. "Hold up guys. There is something you should know before we continue any further." He took a deep breath in, "This is a _gay_ club. A lot of these guys are regulars here and most of them are fucking crazy. They will dance with anyone so we're going to do the buddy system."

"What?" They all questioned.

"Sasuke, since you and Kakashi look like something these guys would gladly pounce on, Sakura and I are going to have to be your shields. All of these civilians have some class. If they see that you have a partner of some sort, they are going to leave you alone." Naruto said, "Sasuke, you and Sakura are going to pretend to be together. Wrap your arm around each other or something like that. Kakashi-sensei, you're with me. Everyone cool with that." Sasuke wanted to scream and kick things around like a child but he refrained from doing so. Ever so slowly, he wrapped an arm around Sakura's waist. She was in fangirl heaven at this point. She'd have to thank Naruto later for giving her this chance. Said teenager wrapped his own arm around Kakashi's waist, sticking his hand into the man's back pocket. "It's all for show." He reminded everyone as they continued walking. Now that everyone was aware that the men in this joint were all pretty creepy or weird, they kept searching. Many men stared, some with drool falling down their chins while others whistled when the guys passed them. "Okay, everyone. I see Kitty. She's going to freak out for a few seconds. Just ignore it, she does that to everyone she meets." Naruto stated.

A little way away, you could see a tall and curvy woman with dyed rainbow hair in a ponytail. She had auburn eyes and wore a bikini top with a black skirt. She had fishnet leggings and platforms heels. She was beautiful with that red lipstick that she rocked so well. Her head turned, eyes going wide. Naruto released himself from Kakashi's side. He held his arms open. "Naru-chan!" Kitty squealed, running up to him and smashing him in a hug, "I'm so happy that you are safe. I thought that you'd been murdered or that you didn't like me anymore or that you hated the club or that people scared you away or-"

"Kitty." He held her shaky hands, noticing the tears in her eyes, "I'm okay. My team and I are going to figure out who killed Andreas, Cotton, Rudy, and Erich. We won't rest until the case is solved."

"Oh, Naru-chan!" She wailed, the music drowning most of it out as she clung to him.

"Why don't we find a quiet place to talk about the details of the mission?" He suggested.

Kitty wiped away her tears, "Will you dance?"

"Uh, I-"

"Please, it'll make me feel better…" She gave her signature puppy-dog eyes.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "As long as it'll get you to stop crying."

Kitty cheered, bouncing around while also leading them to her office, "Oh, Naru-chan, thank you so much! You are the best employee I've ever had. You're too nice to me."

Naruto just scoffed, "Really, now? _I'm_ the best? Uh huh, sure, I believe that."

The rainbow haired woman's mouth opened in fake shock, "Dear Naru-chan. Are you accusing me of _lying_?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." He shrugged. The two shared a laugh as they walked into her nearly soundless office. They could hear the sigh of relief from Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura.

Kitty sat down at her desk, "Alright, cuties, tell me something about yourself."

"She just needs your name and any dirty activities you do on your off time." Naruto translated.

She gawked at him, "There is no such thing as dirty activities. It's called art."

"Sex is _not_ an art. It's a pleasure." He stated, leaning against her desk.

"Well, I'm Kakashi and I read pornographic novels." Their teacher stated, unashamed of himself.

"Icha Icha?" She inquired.

He nodded, "Have you read it before?"

"Oh, honey, I own the whole collection by Jiraiya. He's my favorite author!" Kitty said excitedly. Kakashi gave her a thumbs up.

"Ah, look, Kitty. You just made your first friend!" Naruto swooned.

She huffed, puffing out her cheeks, "Meanie." She proceeded to punch his shoulder twice before turning to Sakura and Sasuke. Kitty hummed for a few seconds, "Well, I'm assuming since you're still young that you haven't done anything yet so, what're your names?"

"Sasuke."

"Sakura. It's nice to meet you."

Kitty smiled, pointing towards the kunoichi, "I like her."

"Of course you do." He laughed.

"Stop being mean to me!" She wailed.

He held up his hands in defensive, his face softening, "Alright, I'm done… but, Kitty, we need to talk about what happened. Were you the first one to find them."

The woman sighed, "No, the only time that _I_ was the one to find them… _bodies_ … it w-was Rudy's a-and Erich's. Oh, Naru-chan, it w-was so _awful_!" She sobbed, covering her face with her hands. Naruto walked over to her, rubbing her back in a soothing manner. "They were a-all my _friends_ and n-now they're g-gone!" Kitty screamed, looking into Naruto's eyes, "Please, y-you have to find that _bastard_ who d-did this!"

His eyes hardened as he gave a stiff nod, "Anything for you." Her crying started to die down after that. Naruto stepped back little ways, "Is there anything else that we should know before we start out the investigation?"

"No, everything that's in my report is all that the police and I know. Sorry if it isn't much help." She shrugged.

"You've done great so far." He smiled.

"Ah, Naru-chan! You really _are_ the best!" Kitty squealed in delight, launching herself at Naruto for a big hug. The two hugged it out for a few seconds. "Now, how about that dance?" Kitty giggled quietly.

"Yes, I'll do the god damn dance. Get off my case." Naruto chuckled.

"There's a new outfit for you in the changing rooms." She stated as he left the room. Once he left, she turned to his teammates. Kitty gave them a mischievous grin, "Oh, you three _have_ to see this performance. He _rocks_ on the pole!" Kitty led the three out of her office and towards the stage. After about a minute, a red button went off on one of the stages. This was something they installed last year so that the dancers could tell Kitty that they were ready to come on stage without having to have the boss walk back there and ask if they were done. "Are you guys ready?" She asked the three.

"I guess," Sasuke stated.

"I don't know if I'm comfortable to watch something like this," Sakura admitted.

"I'm still shocked that Naruto works here," Kakashi whispered but slightly nodded.

Kitty grabbed a microphone, tapping it twice to make sure it worked. "GENTLEMEN! GET YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR THE DANCING KITSUNE IN THIS SPECIAL PERFORMANCE!" She shouted, the crowd going wild, chanting 'Kitsune' over and over again.

"Dancing Kitsune?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, that's Naru-chan's stage name. The crowd _loves_ it!" Kitty grinned. The music started to play to the beat of Bad Romance by Lady Gaga. The remaining members of Team Seven stared with wide eyes as they saw Naruto walk down the runway during the intro of the song. Apparently, Kitty's new outfit had taken the cake for the guys in the club. He had tight fitting boxers that left the curve in it for anyone's imaginations. There was a fake police badge attached to the boxers. Plastic handcuffs hung off of his left wrist. Sunglasses hung off of his nose to add to the effect. The theme was most definitely police officer in predominately black clothes or the lack of. Though, the greatest thing about this outfit wasn't all the accessories.

It was his smile that won over everyone.

And then, from there, he just started dancing. He was grinding and swinging and jumping and hopping and twirling and smiling and just being all around sexy. There was no other way to put it. Kitty held back her tears. Ever since Rudy and Erich had been murdered, less and less people were showing up to the club. However, that group that she'd seen earlier who were about to leave now stood at the front all the while throwing money at Naruto for his performance. Having her little Naru-chan dancing at the club made people stay and come more often. He is the single reason this place hasn't gone bankrupt and she will forever be grateful for that. Kitty would never tell him this, but she's glad to have him in her life and at her club. She smiled.

He was always happy here.


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto ended off the song in an exposing pose. The group of – practically – wild men shouted and cheered for an encore. "Sorry boys, maybe another night." Naruto fluttered his eyelashes making those up near the front become increasingly louder by the second. He high-fived another dancer who was going to perform after him before walking off the stage sensually. As he approached Kitty, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura, they could tell that something had definitely changed about Naruto.

He looked… older, more mature. He had a glow or a sheen about him that made the world look brighter. Even in his sexual outfit and implied themes, he seemed innocent with that big, intoxicating smile on his face. The remaining members of Team Seven nearly sighed in relief. They hadn't see that smile in what felt like forever. Naruto even _looked_ happier here in this godforsaken place – in their eyes at least – where he can dance in peace.

"So," His words were drawled out, the aftermath of such erotic dances and provocative poses up on stage still affecting him, "How was that?"

"Naru-chan, you really know how to stir up the crowd!" Kitty nodded her head vigorously, "You haven't performed that dance in forever! What made you decided to do that one?"

An embarrassed blush crossed his cheeks, "I don't like seeing my boss cry."

She poked out her lip as her eyes teared up, "That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Hey!" Naruto barked out, waving his hands in front of his face, "No crying! My dance was supposed to help you; it wasn't supposed to make you cry!"

Kitty laughed, wiping her tears away, "Yeah."

He gave her a look, "What is it now?"

"Thank you, Naruto." She said, looking down at the ground.

The blond-haired teenager looked shocked for a second. It wasn't every day that Kitty said anyone by their real name instead of the nicknames she'd given them. That could only mean that's she's serious. Naruto gave her a short hug, "If I may ask, what're you thanking me for?"

Kitty gave him a genuine, bright smile, "For doing this."

"Doing what?" He deadpanned.

"You're so dense." She laughed, punching his shoulder playfully.

"You're still not answering my questions." He chuckled.

"You made me laugh. And smile. And have fun." Kitty's eyes watered up some more, "You don't understand how bad it's been since they were m-murdered. I feel like I haven't been the same."

"Kitty…"

"Naruto, you brought a light back into this place and into my life that I'd forgotten that I'd lost." She looked away, "That's why I'm thanking you. Not only for giving back to me what I lost but also for helping in finding the bastard who did this."

He smirked, "I'm only doing my job."

She gagged, "Ew, stop acting so tough! I know that you're just a real softie on the inside."

"Whatever makes you sleep at night." Naruto chuckled, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, "Well, I think it's time for us to head to the inn and get some sleep before the investigation begins."

Kitty pouted, "Yeah, I'll see you out then." She walked with them towards the double doors. No one said anything but Naruto and Kitty could clearly feel the remaining members of Team Seven staring holes into their backs. It was unnerving to say the least. As they were approaching the exit, Kitty turned to her employee, "So, will you perform some more while you're in town?"

"I don't know, Kitty." He shrugged, "Maybe if I have to go undercover to find someone."

"Well, if you do dance, I'll pay you a little extra for your services." She stated in a boss-like tone.

Naruto shook his head, "I can't take that money."

"You will take it and you will like it!" She growled out, stomping her foot. Despite this woman being almost thirty, she acted much younger. Not in a stupid teenager way, but a young adult trying to find a name out of herself. It was inspiring to Naruto.

"I'm serious." He stated.

"And so am I!" Kitty shouted slightly.

"I'm not taking the money!" Naruto crossed his arms.

"Take the _damn_ money!" Kitty poked him in the chest, the door coming closer and closer.

"Hell no and you can't make me!" He snarled.

"I'm your boss and I _demand_ that you take the extra pay!" She said sternly.

He looked away, "I will do no such thing!"

"Do it!"

"No!"

Kitty pouted, giving her best puppy eyes, " _Please_?"

"No."

"Damn, I thought that'd work." She mumbled under her breath.

"I'm not taking the money." Naruto said, staring her down.

"DAMMIT NARUTO! TAKE. THE. MONEY!" Kitty shouted.

"NO!" The two viciously opened the door at the same time, too caught up in their conversation to realize that they were outside.

Lucifer laughed, "Is she trying to pay extra again?"

"Yes!" Naruto whined, dragging a hand down his face.

He pinched the bridge of his nose but held a smile on his face, "Ms. Kitty, leave the kid alone."

"Why should I do that?!" Kitty growled out.

"KID?!" Naruto gawked, "I'll have you know that I'm fifteen!"

Sakura stared wide-eyed, "Fifteen? I thought he was the same age as us."

"Naruto failed the gennin exam twice, putting him two years behind his age group." Kakashi stated, thoroughly amused by the conversation between his student and this woman.

"Look, you can just add more money towards the mission if you really want to pay extra." Naruto stated, crossing his arms in defeat.

"I can do that?" She asked, curiously.

"Are you serious?" He questioned sarcastically.

"Yes."

He sighed, "Yes, you can do that."

"Well, then that's exactly what I'll do!" Kitty started marching back into the club, "Bye-bye, Naru-chan! Lu-Lu, keep it shakin' baby! See you later, Saku-chan! Sasu-saucy, talk to you some other time! Coo-Coo-Kashi, stay cool, my man!" With that, the rainbow-haired woman walked away.

"'Saku-Saku'?" Sakura asked, questioning just how crazy Kitty was.

"'Sasu-saucy?! What the hell?!" Sasuke felt furious by this awful nickname. Should it even be considered that?

"Oh, what the hell is 'Coo-Coo-Kashi supposed to mean?" Kakashi dragged an exasperated hand down his face.

"Aw, I just love when Kitty gives people nicknames." Lucifer chuckled behind his hand.

"I still can't get over the fact that Kitty calls you 'Lu-Lu'!" Naruto laughed, holding his gut.

"Okay, _Naru-chan_!" The larger bouncer laughed heartedly.

He rolled his eyes, "Well, I'm out." The two shared their elaborate handshake before waving each other off.

"Well, _that_ was something." Kakashi said after a few minutes of silence.

"You're telling me." Naruto grinned.

 **:::^^^^^:::**

After about ten minutes, Team Seven had finally gotten into the inn, changed out of their clothes and into something more comfortable before walking over to Naruto's room. They were all wanting some answers and they wanted them _tonight_! Sasuke held out his hand and knocked for a few seconds, desperately needing some solace to this new Naruto. Said person opened the door and nodded for them to come in. Following his orders, they all walked in and found a comfortable place somewhere in the room. Once seated, Naruto looked at all of them, "You may ask me anything and I will answer honestly. However, please do not reveal this to anyone unless I give you permission to do so. Everything you learn from me will be kept to yourself. This protects myself and my friends. So, what're your questions?"

It was silent for a few seconds before Sakura raised her hand, "I'm kind of just curious. Um… why were you wearing that outfit… from earlier, I mean?"

"Oh that? Yeah, a co-worker got it for me about a year ago. I meant to wear it but I just didn't have the right time and place for it." Naruto shrugged.

"Oh…" A blush fell onto her face, "Is that… _it_?"

He chuckled, "Not really, it was also to help me blend in."

"Alright, dobe." Sasuke started, "How the hell do you know so much stuff?!"

"Teme, you're going to have to elaborate. Not everyone is as simple-minded as you." The blond stated.

The Uchiha growled, "About these people. About this _town_!"

"I grew up around these parts. I know every place here and the majority of the people which is why I'm so surprised that there is a serial killer on the loose. I don't know anyone who'd do something as precise as that." He said nonchalantly.

The asshole narrowed his eyes, "How did you end up in this town?"

Naruto sighed, "Story time. A few years ago when I was like… _nine_? I'm not sure, it was such a long time ago. Well, I was finally tired of living in the Leaf Village and ran away. I nearly starved to death but I was rescued, given something to eat and drink. Yeah, that's pretty much what happened." They gave him a deadpanned look.

"Do you _really_ work at The Strip House?" Sakura asked.

"Yes.

"When did you start working at… _The Strip House_?" Kakashi questioned, trying to think of more questions to ask his students. The possibilities were endless.

"When I turned eleven so that was about four years ago." He answered calmly, kind of getting bored by all the dumb and – practically – stupid questions that only satisfied their curiosity for a few seconds.

" _Why_ are you working at The Strip House?" The only kunoichi asked.

He smiled slightly, "I am in debt to The Strip House and its people for saving my life all those years ago. They could have just left me to starve and die but they didn't. They are kind people."

Sasuke crossed his arms, "How do you know Lucifer?"

"Lucifer was the one to find me. I'd apparently passed out in an alleyway. He was going home for the night and he told me later that he goes past that alleyway every day. He likes to look down it at the graffiti art that appears every day. Lucifer took me back to The Strip House as they were closing. They let me stay the night, eat some food, have something to drink, and we had a great conversation, if I do say so myself." Naruto responded.

"Is Lucifer usually that… _relaxed_?" Sakura asked uneasily.

"No."

"What do you mean by _no_?" Sasuke deadpanned.

"No, Lucifer isn't relaxed _at all_." He clarified.

Sakura huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, "That makes no sense. He was really chill around _you_!"

Naruto sighed, " _Yes_ , he was. What's your point?"

"Why is that?" The Uchiha teenager questioned.

"It's because we're close. Next question." Naruto commanded, going irate.

"Are the people in The Strip House okay with knowing that you are a gennin?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes." The blonde-haired teenager admitted.

"Who _does_ know?" Sakura probed.

"Kitty, Lucifer, Andreas, Rudy, Cotton, Erich, and the bartender, Rena. She wasn't working today so you guys didn't get to meet her yet." He said.

"How do you know Victoria Lolli?" Kakashi inquired after a long period of silence.

"Try to refrain from calling Kitty by her first name. She absolutely hates it." Naruto suggested, "Friendly advice for future reference."

"Thanks." He looked away.

The dancer took a deep breath in, "I know Kitty because Lucifer introduced the two of us. I was in desperate need of food and water so Kitty provided it. We had a few conversations before she asked if I wanted to take one of the spare back rooms to rest for the night. Kitty later found out that I was a runaway and begged me to stay there. I eventually warmed up to her and decided to stay until… well, that's another story for later."

"Is she _really_ your boss?" Sasuke questioned.

Naruto sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, " _Yes_."

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows, "Why is Ms. Kitty so _crazy_?!"

"I don't know!"

"She scares me." The Uchiha admitted.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah."

"What's up with that nickname she gave us?" The dark haired teenager asked.

"I don't know; she just _does_ that. That her _thing_!" Naruto was slowing growing irritated with all of these stupid, curiosity-filled questions.

"So, you… pole dance?" Kakashi questioned.

Naruto nodded, "Yes, and it's quite fun."

"How crazy _are_ the people in this town?" The pink haired girl asked.

"On a scale of one to one hundred, it'd be about an eighty." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Are we going to have to pretend to be a couple every time we walk into The Strip House?" Sasuke looked pale when asking this questioned.

Naruto tapped his chin, "For the majority of the time and if we are in a group, then I suggest that you do. If not, oh well, something bad might happen... plus, we're hunting a serial killer."

He shuddered, "Ugh…"

"Have you had to pretend to be in a relationship before?" The Jonnin asked his student.

The teenager's eyes darkened, "Multiple times. I sometimes had to pretend to be in a relationship with Lucifer because everyone in The Strip House is afraid of him. Kitty was worried that I would assaulted by a man while getting off stage and going towards the back rooms."

"Is that why you told us this beforehand?" Kakashi said, continuing his questioning.

"Absolutely. I don't want anything to happen to you guys." Naruto smiled, the tense atmosphere slightly gone.

"Who all have worked at The Strip House in your years of working here?" Sasuke asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Well… I've worked here for like four years. Hm… Rudy, Erich, PJ, Corrin, Ross, and I were pole dancers here. Corrin left four months ago because his sister got sick. She passed about a month ago." He said, having to close his eyes and think about it, "Lucifer, his brother Kei, and – _sometimes_ – Ross are bouncers. There's Mimi, Sora, Cyan, and Rose that work the stage lights. Rose quit last year. Rena, Taylor, Aries, and Maurice are bartenders. Kitty is the boss and founder… However, Cedric was the co-founder until he quit about two years ago. I'm not sure why."

"So Ross is both a dancer _and_ a bouncer?" Sakura questioned, hoping to get that right.

"Correct."

"Were you forced to work here or do you actually enjoy it?" The only kunoichi asked.

"I actually enjoy it." He stated with a smile.

"So, I'm guessing that means that you are comfortable working here?" Kakashi inquired.

Naruto gave one of his bright grins, "Absolutely!"

"Were you always a stripper?" Sasuke questioned.

He shook his head, "Nope!"

"When did you learn how to dance like that?" His teacher asked.

"It was kind of a watch-and-learn kind of thing. In the beginning of my stay there, I worked with Mimi and Rose on the stage lights. From there, I watched the stripers go about on the poles. They were super talented." He suddenly gave out a laugh, "I tried to do it once, but one of the bartenders caught me."

"Who taught you to dance?" Sakura.

Naruto smiled sadly, "Erich."

"Don't you know that it is technically illegal for you to be in a club and work there considering your age?" Kakashi.

He sighed, "I'm a ninja now so there is nothing the villages can do about it. Ninjas of any age are allowed privileges of an adult. You can't take this away from me."

"Are you happy here?" Sakura asked quietly, Naruto just nodding furiously.

Kakashi suddenly looked very pale, "Has anything… _provocative_ happened to you?"

He furrowed his eyebrows, "You mean like has anyone every molested or raped me?" Naruto.

The silver-haired man gulped, nodding slightly, "Yes, did… anything happen?"

"No, but that doesn't mean that there haven't been attempts." He just shrugged.

"A-Are you okay?!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed worriedly.

He smiled, "Yeah. The people at The Strip House are good people. We treat each other like family and family protect each other." He looked down at his hands and bit his lip. He sighed sadly, "Which is why this mission is so hard on me. I just lost a lot of members of my family."

The pink-haired teenager placed a hand on his knee reassuringly, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"I'm just wondering, why a gay strip club?" Sasuke blurted out.

"Why not? It's the only place that they'd hire someone like without having some shady history." He shrugged, Sakura's hand leaving his knee.

The Uchiha teenager rolled his eyes, "You know that this place is almost two hours away from the village. What, did you just walk here to work a few nights?"

"Yes."

His eyes looked darker, "Without getting _caught_?"

"The security is horrible at the east gate." Naruto admitted.

"How many times do you perform in a week?" Sakura questioned, giving Sasuke a weird look.

Naruto tapped his chin in thought, "At least eight times depending on how much I get paid and if I have the time since I'm a gennin now." He suddenly let out a frustrated sigh. "Are there any _serious_ questions? I feel like I've been answering nothing but stupid, curiosity-driven questions." He asked them.

"Are you going to drop your mask?" Kakashi suddenly stated seriously.

"What?!"

He looked into his student's eyes, "Are you going to reveal your real life any time soon?"

"Uh…"

"This mask and different life that you've built for yourself." Kakashi said.

"I… I don't know what you're talking about." Naruto defended.

"You are obviously more intelligent than most would give you credit for." His eyes seemed to pierce the teenager's soul.

"Yeah right." Naruto rolled his eyes, looking away from his team.

"You hide behind the mask of dead last and pretend to be dumb." Kakashi shook his head, "You've been working and visiting this town for _years_ , Naruto. That means that you've had to go around security for years without being caught _once_."

"That just means that I'm good at stealth." He shrugged once more.

Kakashi let out a sigh, "Do you know how many people actually _are_ good at stealth? The number is less than you'd think."

"What's your point?" The silver-haired ninja could see how defensive Naruto was getting.

"Are you ever going to reveal to anyone besides us about your life here?" Kakashi.

He bit his lip, looking down at his folded hands, "No."

"Why?" Sakura asked with a hushed tone of voice.

"It'll endanger my friends here. This is a no-ninja town. It's all civilians. If someone ever was after me and knew about my life here, they'd take out _all_ of my family at The Strip House. They'd torture them or outright murder them. I wouldn't want to put that on them." He admitted.

"How noble." Sasuke stated sincerely.

"Any more questions? It's starting to get really late and we need to be up early tomorrow morning to get started on the investigation." He looked out the window, the black sky making the room appear darker.

"What is your relation with the people of The Strip House?" Kakashi questioned.

"Oh…" He gulped, freezing up slightly.

"So, you knew them well?" The pink-haired girl held sympathy in her eyes.

He nodded slowly, "I did."

"So, who were they to you?" Sasuke questioned.

"Andreas Hazeldine, I knew him _really_ well… he was like the father I never got to have. He'd show up every Saturday at The Strip House and watch the performance. We used to talk at the bar until it was my time to perform. He wouldn't watch mine because he thought of me as his son and didn't want to see me looking like that on stage. He did so _much_ for me before he… he died. I looked up to him." Naruto took a breather, looking down at his hands, "Cotton Paige used to be a boxing champion a few towns over before coming to live here in Roslyn Town. He was one of Kitty's major clients and soon became a self-defense teacher for the dancers so that they could protect themselves should anything happen. He was my mentor before I because a gennin."

"Wow…" Sakura mumbled.

"Rudy O'Shea, Erich Vogel, and I were _extremely_ close. I'm pretty sure they had a thing going for each other. Even if they were going out, I'd be happy for them. Rudy was like my older brother… we were inseparable… And Erich… he's was my first best friend. It's hard for me to wrap my finger around the thought that their gone…" He took another breath in, a lump in his throat, "Lucifer Kingsley is like my brother, in a sense. He let me crash at his place whenever I'd have to take the late shift while working. As you know, he was the one to find me passed out in that alley and saved my life. I owe a lot to him. Victoria Lolli… she's like a mother, aunt, sister, _everything_ to me. I was actually the one who gave her the nickname Kitty because that's what she reminded me of the first time I saw her. She's over protective and funny. She taught me life-lessons and has always been there for me." He smiled brightly. "While there are more people in the building but, I'm not _too_ familiar with them. I know _of_ them but we were never really that close."

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Kakashi stated soberly.

"Yeah, me too." He looked out the window once more, wishing that things could just go back to the way they were before.


End file.
